South Africans Michael and Sunette Adendorff went to New Zealand, but had trouble finding the Majestic Hotel, where they had made reservations. They inquired at a chemist's shop for help, but found there is no hotel at all in the town of Eastborne! Shop assistant Linda Burke looked at their paperwork and realized the hotel they wanted was in the UK -on the other side of the globe!

Ms Burke rang around but discovered all the local bed and breakfast places were full, so she offered them a room for the night in her house.

The couple, who were exploring New Zealand while visiting the country to watch South Africa play in the Rugby World Cup, had mistakenly booked into the hotel in Eastbourne, Sussex, on the internet.

"I booked into the right hotel, just in the wrong country," Mr Adendorff told the Dominion Post newspaper.

Despite the good-natured ribbing they received, the couple said Eastbourne was very nice and the locals were friendly.

The Adendorffs were unable to get a refund on the hotel due to short notice. Link -via Arbroath